Coupler-pin lift



Nov. 2,1926. 1,605,544

A. G. HAWKES COUPLER PIN LIFT Filed August 18, 1924 fn enar: {by 17 6/2?G. flaw/Q;

Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

- STATES 1,605,544 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR G. HAWKES, OF ALBANY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PULLMAN COM-PANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

COUPLER-PIN" LIFT.

Original application filed May 31, 1923, Serial No. 642,693. Divided andthis application filed August 18, 1924. Serial No. 732,635.

This invention relates to car coupling devices and more particularly tomechanism for lifting the coupling devices or looking pins forconnecting cars of railway trains and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improveduncoupling rigging or mechanism comprising an operating shaft or rod anda coupler pin lifting arm that may be, assembled without the use oftools and when assembled will be held in operative position without theemployment of screws, bolts, or other independent fastening means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmechanism for lifting cou Jler pins for uncoupling cars, that iscomposec of a minimum number of parts, that is cheap to manufacture,easily assembled, efficient in operation, easily manipulated, and thatis not likely to become broken or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of arailway car showing my invention in position thereon, with parts insection and parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of a railway car, showing myinvention in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the car showing the inventionin operative position; and

Figs. 4-. and 5 are detail views showing slight modifications of theconnection between the lifting arm and the operating shaft.

On the drawing the reference character 10 designates a car provided withthe draw bar 11, having the coupler 12 thereon, including the knuckle 13which is adapted to be held in locked position by the coupler pin 14 asis usual in such constructions.

Since the specific features of the car construction constitute no partof the present invention, the same will not be further illusrated ordescribed.

Journaled in suitable brackets 15 and 16 secured to the front end of thecar 10 is a rock shaft 17 the outer end of which is bent laterally toform an operating handle 18 in the usual manner.

Suitable mechanism connecting the shaft 17 and the pin 14 is providedfor releasing the knuckle 13. This mechanism is so con structed that itwill permit longitudinal, lateral and vertical movements of the couplerrelative to the car, and is preferably attached to said shaft withoutthe aid of additional fastening means. As shown, the shaft 17 isdistorted to provide a flattened portion 19 the edges of which arecurved. An arm 20 is provided with a loop 21 forming a closed slot 22for engaging said flattened portion 19.

Means are provided for permitting the loop to be slid onto the shaft 17and for locking the same in position on the flattened portion 19. Anysuitable means may be employed for this purpose. In the form of thedevice shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the loop 21 is provided with anextended portion forming a groove 23 which extends transversely to saidloop whereby the loop may be threaded on the shaft 17 by turning thesame at right angles to said shaft so that the round portion 24 of saidshaft will register with said groove. Suflicient clearance is providedbetween the upper side of the loop 21 and the shaft 17 for sliding theloop on said shaft. When the loop is slid on to the flattened portion 19it is turned at an angle as shown at Figs. 1 and 2 whereby the same islocked to said shaft.

The loop 21 is provided with a downwardly and forwardly extending arm 25which terminates in a laterally extending member 26 which is adaptedtoengage in the eye of the pin 14. The member 26 may be reduced forengaging said eye. By means of this arrangement the coupler 12 ispermitted to have a universal movement. The rotation of the rod 17 willpermit it to move up and down and the sliding connection between the eyeof the pin and the reduced portion or member 26 together with the pivotconnection between the loop 21 and the flattened portion 19 will permita lateral movement of the coupler in both directions, without aifectingthe pin 14.

In the operation of the device the handle 18 is operated to rotate theshaft 17 which by means of the flattened portion 19 engaging in the loop21 will elevate the arm 25 together with the pin It for releasing theknuckle 13.

The form of the device shown in Fig. 4 differs from that shown in Figs.1, 2 and 3 in that the loop 27 which corresponds to the loop 21 of theform shown in said figures, is provided in both of its side walls withoppositely arranged grooves 28 and 29 which are adapted to accommodatethe rod 17 in sliding said loop into position on said shaft.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 5 the shaft 30 is flattened fromone side only and consequently the groove 31 which corresponds to thegroove 23 of the construction shown in Fig. 2 is sufficient withoutproviding additional clearance for sliding the loop 82 along said rodinto engagement with the flattened portion 33 thereof.

This application is a division of my former application, S01. No.642,693, filed May 31, 1923, for coupler pin lift.

This invention is not limited in its application to the particularconstruction herein illustrated, as various changes might be made in theconstruction shown without departing from the spirit of this invention,or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A coupler pin lifter comprising a rockshaft member and an arm member,a plurality of alined bearings for said rockshaft member, one of saidmembers being provided with a distorted portion between said bearingsand the other with a closed loop at one of its ends for engaging saiddistorted por tion, the outer end of said arm being a'dapt ed to engagea coupler pin for lifting the same when said shaft member is rotated.

2. A coupler pin lifter comprising a rockshaft, a flattened portion onsaid shaft, an arm, and .a loop member on one end of said arm forengaging said flattened portion, the outer end of said arm being adaptedto ena coupler pin for lifting the same when said shaft is rotated.

3. A coupler pin lifter comprising a rockshaft having a comparativelystraight body member, bearings engaging said body mem ber, means forrocking said body member, a coupler pin lifter arm member pivotallyconnected to said body member and interlocked therewith, and meansintegral with one of said members for holding said members ininterlocked relation.

i. A coupler pin lifter comprising a rockshaft, bearings for rotatablymounting the same on the end of a car, said shaft being substantiallystraight between said bearings and having a distorted portion betweensaid bearings, an arm having one end provided with slot for engagingsaid distorted por tion and having its other end extending substantiallyparallel with said shaft and adapted to engage the eye of a coupler pin,and means integral with said arm for preventing the disengagement ofsaid shaft and arm while the latter is in operative position.

5. In a car uncoupling mechanism, a rockshaft, a coupler pin engagingarm, a connection between said shaft and said arm, said connectioncomprising a flattened portion on said shaft, having curved edges, anelongated opening in one end of said arm provided with curved endportions for engaging said curved edges said opening being provided witha central extension whereby when said arm is turned so that theextension of said slot extends parallel to said shaft the arm may bethreaded on said shaft and may be interlocked with said flattenedportion by an angular movement of said arm, said shaft and arm wheninterlocked having a limited pivotal movement relatively to each other.

6. In combination, a car provided with a coupler and a pin therefor, arockshaft provided with a bent end constituting a handle for rotatingsaid shaft, and means for journaling said shaft at the front end of saidcar, an arm, cooperating means on said shaft and arm for permitting saidarm to slide along said shaft when said arm is in one position and forlocking the same to said shaftwhen turned to another position, and meanson said arm for engaging said pin for lifting the same. ARTHUR G.HAVVKES.

